Wanderlust Inspirations

Welcome to the last day of Papertrey's July release countdown. Release day is tomorrow! Are you excited?!

Today we have some travel themed products to showcase. Heather Nichols has been sharing some of her amazing Traveler's Journal collection on her blog this week. Today, the rest of us get to join in the fun! Going right along with the travel theme is Betsy's What the Doodle: Map. Serious cuteness right there! 

All of the new products will be available at 10 pm ET on July 15 in the Papertrey Ink store.

I'm a bit of a junkie when it comes to notebooks and journals, so I'm really excited about the Traveler's Journal products that Heather Nichols has designed. I'm going to show you lots of photos of what I made, but for detailed product info and assembly how-to, you'll definitely want to check out Heather's and Nichole's blogs.

For my traveler's journal, I made my cover out of canvas. I die-cut two of the Traveler's Journal: Outer Cover, then fused them together with Heat 'N Bond. I also stitched the perimeter, but that was purely an aesthetic choice -- the Heat 'N Bond worked like a charm! (Some kind of fray check is a good idea for fabric covers.)

I embellished the front cover with a USA map die-cut from What the Doodle: Map, along with a word die-cut and airplane image from Traveler's Journal: Outer Cover. The arrow is from another die set in the collection: Traveler's Journal: Envelope. (You'll see more of that below.) I glued the paper elements onto the fabric with some Fabri-Tac. I've been handling my cover a fair amount, and so far, no problems with anything coming off.

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Inside the cover are three separate Traveler's Journals. The journals are made using the Traveler's Journal Pages, which are unassembled journal blanks. They come flat, so you can decorate first, then assemble or assemble first and then decorate.

I'm using each journal to document a different family trip.

The first is a NYC trip from a few years ago. I'll have a complete supply list below, but all the stamping was done with images from the Traveler's Journal: Adventure set. The patterned papers are from the Traveler's Journal Paper Collection.

I made a tab using a Tremendous Tag and the Type Strips II alphabet stamps.

The photo frame die is included in the Traveler's Journal: Outer Cover, and the ticket is stamped with Traveler's Journal: Adventure.

Although the square pages are perfect for Instagram photos, you can also put your 4x6 photos straight into the journal. 

Another 4x6 adhered straight into the album with no cropping. This time I added a little Mini Slide Frame, too. The typewriter-style words are from Traveler's Journal: Typed Notes.

On the inside of the back cover I adhered a Traveler's Notebook: Envelope for memorabilia.

I can't wait to finish documenting this trip. I've forgotten how much I enjoy scrapbooking! This format and size is something I can really get behind, too, whether it's for trips or for the everyday moments.

Stamps: Traveler's Notebook: Adventure, Traveler's Notebook: Typed Notes, Petite Places: Sweet Shoppe and Petite Places: Main Street, Monthly Moments: Mini Slide Frame, Type Strips II

Dies: Traveler's Notebook: Outer Cover, Traveler's Notebook: Envelope, What the Doodle: Map, Minute To Make: Holiday Tags, Bookprint Alphabet, Tremendous Tags, Type Strip, Petite Places: Sweet Shoppe, Petite Places: Main Street, Petite Places: Pop Up Trees, Wet Paint Cuts II,  Mini Slide Frame

Ink: Versamark; Americana, Enchanted Evening, True Black, Spring Moss, Harvest Gold, Spring Rain

Paper: Traveler's Journal Pages, Traveler's Journal Paper Collection; White, Green Parakeet, Americana, Enchanted Evening, Classic Kraft, Rustic White card stock

Other: Traveler's Journal Elastic Cord, natural linen thread, white linen thread, eyelets, canvas, Fabri-Tac, Heat 'n Bond, sewing machine

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I have two quick and simple projects to share using What the Doodle: Map. This one couldn't be any easier! Stamp the doodle map, diecut, wrap with thread and hang a tag, then add a heat embossed sentiment. Finished in well under 10 minutes!

The sentiment is from the new Keep It Simple: Missing You.

Stamps: What the Doodle: Map; Keep It Simple Missing You

Dies: What the Doodle: Map, Tiny Tags

Ink: Classic Kraft, Versamark

Paper: Enchanted Evening, Classic Craft, Pure Poppy

Other: white linen thread, white embossing powder

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This quick project was inspired by moms and dads who will be sending kids off to college in the fall. The glassine bag is the perfect size for a gift card or some cash and a darling way to let someone know you're thinking of them and missing them.

The adorable little geotags are from the Traveler's Notebook: Envelope die set and the paper inside is from the What the Doodle: Map paper collection.

Stamps: What the Doodle: Map

Dies: What the Doodle: Map, Traveler's Notebook: Envelope

Ink: Versamark

Paper: What the Doodle: Map paper collection; Classic Kraft and Green Parakeet card stock

Other: glassine bag, white linen thread

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For more Wanderlust Inspiration, visit the Papertrey team:

Nichole Heady

Ashley Newell

Betsy Veldman

Danielle Flanders

Dawn McVey

Heather Nichols

Kay Miller

Laurie Willison

Lizzie Jones

Melissa Phillips

Thanks for visiting!

Scrapkit Studio: The Good Life Mini Album

Hola blog friends! I'm so excited to share a mini album project with you today. I've been lucky enough to play again with one of Scrapkit Studio's mini-album kits. If you're not familiar with Scrapkit Studio, I highly recommend taking a peek at what they have to offer. Melinda, the owner,  does an amazing job designing mini-album kits, complete with supplies and detailed instructions. Because her kits and instructions are so comprehensive, they are completely do-able by a beginner, and because they are so filled with the latest and greatest product, they are also perfect for experienced papercrafters who want the convenience and ease of a kit, with room for putting their own spin on the album. 

The kit I worked with this time is called The Good Life, and it is filled with cheerful and fun goodies from the The Good Life collection by Fancy Pants. I filled my album with an assortment of general, everyday family photos from last year. As I was looking through my 2012 family photos, I noticed something interesting -- my 12-year-old son seems to show up only for sports and cake. I would complain, except that I myself didn't seem to show up on the other side of the camera at all! So, go figure, our 2012 family memories do not include mom. I hereby vow to be more intentional about a) taking more photos of my oldest son and b) getting myself out from behind the camera and in the photos more often.

Shall we take an album tour?

For the cover, I took my lead from the title page provided in the instructions, changed the background paper, and added a few twists. The title is built with a pre-made, layered "The Good Life" sticker, topped with the word "loving," a chipboard heart accent, and two layered fishtail pennants. Behind it, I made a simple accordion-fold rosette. I then added a subtitle, "fun family memories 2012," using various stickers.

On the left page, I was faced with a mommy dilemma ... I had no photo with all five of us and really no suitable photo of the other four even. But how could I favor one child over another here on the opening page? I couldn't. So I created a little tri-fold attachment, which gave me enough room to include a photo of each child doing his or her happy "thing." The labels "play," "create," and "have fun" are done with letter stickers from the kit. I love the black polka dot envelope on the right - a perfect place to include extra photos and any memorabilia. Here's a look at the tri-fold open:

This next part is best viewed as a two-page spread:

The title begins on the left with "life is a journey" and continues on the right with "enjoy the ride." The photo of my youngest riding his bike was perfect for the bicycle sticker border along the bottom. Everything but the doily is included in the kit.

On the left page, I used a pre-made, layered bicycle sticker in the bottom left corner. Following Melinda's example, I made a darling little flag with a tiny stick/dowel and a pennant sticker.  The "life is good" word sticker is one of many on the included sticker sheet. And the chipboard star-shaped button is one of many buttons in the kit. The right side is a pocket page, which comes already die-cut and ready to just fold up, adhere, and embellish with a simple sticker strip and two buttons.

Inside the pocket is a 4x4 chipboard coaster. I covered it with paper, then added my photo and embellished with a tab top and some word stickers.

On the back side of the pocket page, I added a large photo and a quick embellishment cluster made of a leaf sticker and two stacked chipboard buttons. On the right side is a shaped chipboard page.  I covered it in blue crackle-looking paper (already die-cut to match the chipboard), then added a pocket and a corresponding tag (both already die-cut for you). On the tag is a photo of my daughter zip-lining at a friend's house.

On the back of the shaped page is a photo of my boys on my youngest son's birthday (note the presence of cake, and therefore elusive, pre-teen oldest son as well <grin>):

The title, "good times," was done with a combination of a tab sticker, a word sticker, four pennant stickers, and the circular letter stickers.

I love having little odd-size bits within a mini-album. One of the Fancy Pants patterns had a bunch of awesome cut-out components, including this "The Good Life" element. It was too wide to add to one of the album pages as a horizontal element, so I just punched two holes and added it vertically as its own mini-page of sorts.

On the back, I filled the space with overflow from the right-hand photograph and a portion of a long sentiment strip. (Pardon the photo print quality - the printer was running out of ink.) The right page is the back side of another pocket page. I love the "so grateful" flair in the upper right!

For the pocket page, I added a folded over doily (from my stash, not in the kit), a layered kit sticker, and a pull-out tabbed insert. On the right is a photo of my youngest son's preschool graduation last May and some sentiment stickers. Here's a look at the pull-out ... top photo is of younger son, airborne, about to belly flop on older son, bottom photo is of younger son and daughter playing a game of concentration.

Here, I've featured a photo of my husband and daughter, along with sentiment flags and stickers. To help the sentiment flags pop against the colorful background pattern, I added a red cardstock die-cut tabbed tag from my stash and topped it with a kit button. On the right ... another envelope page topped with a layered flower sticker. Basic Grey magnetic closures hold these envelope flaps closed, by the way.

Another easy spread: large photos, border stickers, button embellishments, and some word stickers.

On the back, I cut out "the good life" medallion from one of the Fancy Pants patterns and accented with tab stickers and a chipboard button.

Hope you've enjoyed my mini album tour. Head over the Scrapkit Studio if you're interested in having one of these, or a different style mini-album, for yourself!

Thanks for visiting,

Scrapkit Studio: Live Love Laugh Mini-Album

Hey there friends, I've got a treat for you today! Well, it was a treat for me, anyway, so hopefully you'll like it, too. Recently, I was invited by Melinda Wharton at Scrapkit Studio to play with one of her mini-album kits, and today, I've got the completed album to share and a video. Yes, a video -- my first!

I didn't plan on doing a video, but as I was sifting through all the fabulous bits and pieces that came in the kit, I was so impressed with the organization and preparation that I just kept thinking how much I wished all of you could just see it/touch it/sort it, too. A video seemed like the next best thing to having you right here with me. The first half of the video is a brief walk-through of the kit contents and the second half is a walk-through of the completed album. Naturally, I don't like how my voice sounds and wish I'd have had a manicure beforehand and all that silly stuff, plus I edited out some wordiness and repetition, which makes for some jerky transitions, but I hope you'll enjoy anyway! (And now that I've got the whole video thing {sort-of} figured out, let me know what else you might like to see!

The mini-album kit I worked with is called Live Laugh Love, and is available from Scrapkit Studio. New kits are introduced monthly (can't wait to see future kits!). I added only a few things to the kit: a handful of additional buttons (some are in the kit already), May Arts natural burlap string, distressed edges, ink distressing, and machine stitching. Otherwise, all the elements you see are included in the kit. The papers that cover the chipboard album pages and other chipboard elements are all pre-cut exactly to size. There are also loads of other elements pre-cut as well (scalloped borders, lacy borders, banners, notched pennants/flags, etc.) All buttons, ribbons, felt, etc., is provided as well. Truly, the only things you need to add are some adhesives and a pair of scissors.

A complete, and highly detailed instruction sheet is provided with each kit. The level of detail is perfect for beginners. If you're a seasoned paper-crafter, you may not need the instructions and/or you may wish to rearrange and kind of go your own way with the kit contents. I did a little bit of both: some of the pages are per the instructions almost exactly; on others, I rearranged and borrowed/lended between pages to come up with my own layouts and such.

First, I'll share the video, and then photos of each page. Enjoy!

Or, watch this on YouTube

Front Cover: felt "love" letters, chipboard oval and oversize fishtail banner, small layered designer paper fishtail banner, buttons, twine, die-cut heart and butterfly, Martha Stewart paper doily

  

Page 1: chipboard frame, mini clothespin, wood buttons, paper doily, orange grosgrain ribbon. Ink distressing done with Ranger Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Page 2: die-cut paper frame, lacy heart, solid heart, wood button, heart button/badge Added some machine stitching, distressing and ink distressing

Page 3: felt flower topped with paper flower, button, and baker's twine. Handmade mini flag.

Page 4: chipboard label with letter stickers, another handmade mini flag, and a die-cut heart. Left-hand border is red crochet trim layered with a die-cut lacy paper strip.

Page 5: button/twine with paper flags, letter stickers, die-cut bunting with buttons, die-cut lacy edge on ivory panel

Page 6: pocket with removable insert embellished with banner and scallop border die-cuts, a paper doily, buttons, and another heart button/badge. I plan to use this page for a letter to my children.

Page 7: die-cut banner strips topped with buttons and twill bow. Dangling felt and paper hearts strung with red baker's twine. Oval scalloped die-cut with letter stickers.

Page 8: Two oversize fishtail banner pieces, loopy paper die-cut border, wide striped ribbon for a rolled flower (link to video tutorial included in kit instructions)

Page 9: chipboard keys, die-cut heart, button and twine, twill bow with stick pin, sentiment read "the keys to a happy life include"

Page 10: layered chipboard label pieces, letter stickers, die-cut borders, paper hearts, lace and button with twine, printed sentiment reads "and friends"

I'm just thrilled with this album! I haven't done a mini-album in so long, and this came together so, so quickly thanks to the kit. Do check out Scrapkit Studio, where you'll find this and many other mini-album kits.

Have a fantastic day!